Help - Depot meds

[shupagirl]

Hi guys,

Can anyone help me with this please as I don't know where to start. I've been asked to find out what medicine is available in a depot form, why it would be used instead of oral therapy, the differences between depots available, their side effects, why they would be used and for what treatment/indication, and the cost of depot treatments.

I'm not really sure what a depot is - are they IM injections such as Risperdal Consta, Olanzapine powder for injection? If an IM injection (ampoules) has decanoate/acetate in its name is that classed as a depot?

I hope I'm not asking a stupid question, the reason I've been asked to do this is to learn and increase my knowledge of psychiatric meds.

Many thanks

[krisi]

Hey
I hadnt heard of depot meds but found a few websites that might be of use! Ive private messaged you
Krisi

[johnep]

This is a hospital orientated question and illustrates how 'One size fits all' concept is flawed. Depot med mostly used for contraception and psychiatric cases. Depo-Provera an example of the former and Depixol and Modecate examples of the latter.
Lantus would be an example of depot insulin. So you see, you have heard of depot meds but did not realise!
johnep

[tinx25388]

My Mum is on Modecate as a Depot Injection as she refuses to take tablets, and it would not be practical for her to have injections every day, so she visits the Mental Health Clinc once a fortnight.

[krisi]

hey thanks for that johnep- just shows eh its true you do learn something new everyday. cheers

[Nik]

The aim of using depot meds in psychiatry is to improve compliance with anti-psychotic therapy. They have no use as first line anti-psychotics. If poor compliance with oral therapy is suspected, patients will be offered depot preparations. Generally injected into the deltoid or gluteal muscles, depot preps release the drug slowly over a period of 2-4 weeks. Depot preps of the older anti-psychotics carry a greater risk of EPS and there will be a problem if the drug needs to be discontinued immediately, for example in neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
The decanoate/acetate bit in the name refers to the esterified version of the drug, typically hydroxyl groups, creating long chain fatty acids. These esters are more lipophilic and soluble and dissolve in oily vehicles, typically vegetable oils or sesame oil. Drug gets release slowly after IM injection. Risperdal consta is not an oily formulation, it has a different mode of action (can't remember how it works we were told at uni).

[sparkybw]

When my mum trained as a psychiatric nurse they used to give patients who wouldn't take their medication regularly a depot injection. The patient either came into the day clinic or the community nurse would visit them at home. As has already been said the injection can be given every 2-4 weeks.